


Memento

by Aroihkin



Series: Veilfire Bones [7]
Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-29
Updated: 2015-01-29
Packaged: 2018-03-09 13:53:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3252245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aroihkin/pseuds/Aroihkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alleyana has something to give to Solas, after the breakup and before fighting Corypheus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Memento

**Author's Note:**

> **Prompt:** [here](http://dragonage-kink.livejournal.com/12606.html?thread=49550910#t49550910).

"You fucked up," Alleyana's voice, rough and unsuited for speech, echoed slightly in the round, vast room she considered to be unequivocally _his_. Solas' back stiffened, the mage straightening up from the books on his desk to turn to her, his face schooled into a perfect, polite mask.

"I have done that many times, Inquisitor," his tone was neutral, bordering on helpful; part of the mask. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Your timing couldn't have been worse," the warrior stepped into the room, approaching him slowly, her armor clinking softly in the almost-quiet. "The vallaslin, that kiss, all of those words. And then?"

Neutral as his mask was, he couldn't hide the pain that briefly lanced through it, nor the way he leaned very slightly back from her as she drew near. She was approaching at just such an angle that to back away from her directly would run him up against his desk, though there was obviously plenty of room to side-step if he was desperate for space.

He said nothing; he didn't have to. Alleyana wasn't here for a conversation, she was here to speak. She altered her path a little to draw up beside him, looking at the tomes open on his desk instead of over at him, so close she could feel the heat coming off his body. "If you'd made me think you were tired of me, or that I'd done something wrong," she said slowly, voice pitched low and as soft as it could get, "I would have accepted that without question. I _expected_ that to happen, someday."

"Inquisitor..." his tone wavered, she shook her head.

"No," Alleyana cut him off, "we're not having a talk."

He went silent, and when she glanced over at him he was staring at her, mask broken off entirely for the moment, his expression stricken. She had never once stopped him from speaking, before; had _always_ wanted his thoughts, his opinions, his words.

And she wanted them now, too. But, she knew he wouldn't give her an explanation, a _real_ reason, and she didn't want to hear about the value he perceived in someone he still fled from. Was _still_ fleeing from, if not literally at that exact moment.

"I meant it when I said I won't give up on you," Alleyana finally stated, and narrowed her eyes when he opened his mouth to protest. He closed it again, silent. "I've given up on myself more times than I can count, and I'll do it again now. But you? I won't do it."

She looked away from him for a moment, back down at the books, before returning to watching him. "Hold out your hand," the warrior ordered softly, and reached up to fish just beneath her breastplate with her sharp-fingered gauntlet. Alleyana found what she was after in the span of heartbeats; it was such a familiar thing, and she drew out a battered golden ring on a thick leather cord, pulling it off from over her head.

The warrior dropped the ring into Solas' waiting palm, registering his startled jump. He knew the story of Nelaros, of the wedding ring she'd taken from his body... perhaps he hadn't realized she carried it still, after all these years? And _certainly_ , he hadn't expected Alleyana to drop it into his hand. "I remain your champion," she said quietly, "whether you will it or not, whether there is anything else between us or not. I will fling myself at Corypheus when we find him, and I will kill him. It's what I'm good for."

Alleyana nearly called it done at that, but... she hesitated, and lifted her eyes to his. "...When he's dead, will you talk to me?"

"If we both survive, I promise," Solas' voice was nearly a whisper, but he met her eyes, and Alleyana nodded before turning away to leave.

"Keep that until then," was all she said on the way out. It was a promise she'd hold him to, and if she died... she wanted him to keep some tiny part of her with him. It was the most she could hope for; the most she'd been able to do for Nelaros.

She only hoped it was enough.


End file.
